John Babbitt

Education

MM, Performance in Double Bass, UW-Milwaukee
BA, History, UW-Madison

Biography

John Babbitt graduated from the University of WI Milwaukee in 1985 with a Masters Degree in Performance on Double Bass. Since then he has worked throughout the Midwest having performed with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra, the Florentine Opera, Skylight Opera Theatre, the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, and Present Music. He has toured Holland and Italy with the Wisconsin Wind Orchestra serving as the group's bassisit for over 20 years.  He spent 10 years in the orchestra that accompanied touring Broadwy shows in Milwaukee and has been Principal Bass of the Rockford Sympnony Orchestra, the Oshkosh Symphony Orchestra and the Green Bay Symphony Orchestra.

Mr. Babbitt has also worked extensively in the jazz and pop fields performing with among others ,Chuck Hedges, Jack Grassel, Roger Brotherhood, Stas Venglevski, the Chris Mariani Band and the Chris Hanson Band.

He has also been active as an educator. He has been on the faculty of the University of WI Stevens Point, Concordia University and Carroll University. He taught at the Onaway Island Summer String Camp and the University of Oshkosh Summer String Camp. He was a faculty member of the Latino Arts String Program for 10 years. In 2018 he was invited to be a presenter at the Chicago Bass Fest. He continues to teach for the Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra's Progressions program and is currently on the facuty of the University of WI Milwaukee.